Instructor has responsibility to teach class at specified time
(this article was first published in the LifeStyles section of the September 22, 2008 edition of the Lowell Sun. If you're interested in viewing other articles, click here.)

Stress Unit
By MICHAEL HAYDEN, Sun Correspondent
Lowell Sun

DEAR MIKE: I am extremely angry about a situation involving my daughter and I am not sure what steps to take. Amy graduated from high school a couple of years ago and since then she has been working mostly service-connected jobs, not really making any money or getting any benefits.

My husband and I tried to encourage her to go on to college but that was not something she was willing to entertain, so I started looking into technical schools, thinking she could pick up a trade.

Finally, after tons of research and running around, I found a technical college she liked and agreed to try part-time. Needless to say, both my husband and I were thrilled that she was finally on her way to doing something with her life.

Well, the other night she went to the first class and the first thing the instructor did was tell the students he would like to start the class an hour earlier than it was scheduled because he had a long ride home. He then asked the entire class in open session if that would be all right with them.

Well, the entire class with the exception of Amy jumped to do it. Amy felt extremely pressured, so she did not say anything, electing to talk to the instructor after class.

She explained that she did not get out of work until 5 p.m., the time he wanted to move the starting time back to. He asked her why she did not speak up and she explained that she felt pressured being the only one against it. His response was, "Well, if you are more than 15 minutes late, you will not be allowed into the class."

She came home and was devastated, knowing she will never make it on time and will be forced to drop out of class. I told her I was calling the school but she said she would never be able to return even if they change the class back, because everyone would know she was the one who complained.

My husband and I are livid and want to do something but don't know what to do. Do you think we are making too much out of this and should we just let it go? -- April

DEAR APRIL: You have all the right in the world to be angry. What this instructor did was extremely unethical. If he wanted to take a poll, he should have done it by letting people submit their choices in writing or just say, "If you have a problem with it, contact me." He also should have instructed the class that if one person had a problem with the schedule change then it would not be done (and not identify the person).

He is employed to teach a class with an advertised schedule and the fact that he lives a distance away is his problem, not the students'.

I would encourage you to contact the administration of the school and put in a complaint. The state oversees these schools, so you might also file a complaint with the state. To do that, start by contacting the board of education in your state. The board should be able to point you in the right direction.

If nothing else, it will save some other poor student from going through the same embarrassment. And it will show your daughter that she was not wrong, the instructor was. Good luck. -- Mike

Michael Hayden is a certified anger management counselor who runs Bay State Anger Management and Counseling in Chelmsford. Send questions to him at Stressunit@aol.com or send mail to: Stress Unit, c/o The Editor, Box 1477, Lowell, MA 01853.